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$1,000 DAC Not Worth It?
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| alanzo |
So not long ago I fronted the $1,100 for a quality digital audio converter (Apogee Mini-DAC) and some quality cables (Monster SP-1000 XLR).
It finally arrived today and I must say that I am completely disappointed. Why would anyone spend so much money for so little difference? Literally, the only difference is a very small amount of low end extension on kick drums... but that difference would only be on your end (since you have the DAC)! Does anyone have any thoughts or should I start processing the returns?
For informations sake, I did my listening using a series of 41khz 16bit wave files in Cubase SX 3. I compared an Apogee Mini-DAC /w SP-1000 Monster Cables ($1,100) and an M-Audio Audiophile 24/96 /w HOSA RCA cables ($100). I was able to instantly switch between the two using Cubase. I'm monitoring on Mackie HR824s. |
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| wizniz |
i'd suggest returning it there comes a point where price doesnt affect sound very much and i think you found it...
apogee is great and all but i guarantee a DAC costing 1/2 as much would sound barely noticeably different if at all.
and monster cables? they found most of their success through aggressive marketing. try mogami! :) |
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| alanzo |
I don't necessarily want it to sound great, just sound accurate. What I was expecting was for the sound to just, well, come alive. Perhaps an enhanced stereo image, clearer highs, and have subtle sounds stand out; being able to hear the smallest detail at even low volumes. What I got was, basically, no difference at all.
Perhaps I'm just missing the point of a top-grade DAC. |
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| Eldritch |
| Return it. Same with the monster cables if possible. :) |
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| cryophonik |
| quote: | Originally posted by wizniz
and monster cables? they found most of their success through aggressive marketing. try mogami! :) |
+1. Not to mention the fact that, on top of being overpriced junk, Monster Cables are just a horrid company to give your money to anyway. Check out this thread for more info. |
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| thecYrus |
when i switched from m-audio to RME i heard quite a bit of a difference. though like you said it's more on your side than it won't improve the production quality much more. (it's not like it would make such a difference for accurate mixing).
ADCs then would be a completely different story. |
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| Getafix |
| Maybe consider exchanging it for a Benchmark DAC1 or Lavry DA10? |
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| Derivative |
Why? For the record I have a Delta 1010 and an RME Fireface 400 and have used an Apogee Rosetta 200 and a EMU 1212M in recent times. I can't tell the difference on the AD or DA conversion stage between any of them. It all sounds the same to me. I'm not saying there is no measurable difference - there probably is but I can't hear it. Even when I slave them to different clocks.
The Rosetta 200 has a nice soft limit feature though which is great if you use it regularly. Otherwise meh. Its a bit expensive. The only reason why I bought the FF400 was because it had preamps (so I could direct line my guitar) and it was portable but I don't use half the features and am considering selling up both the 400 and the 1010 and downsizing to something like a 1212M which is pretty much all I need at this point.
| quote: | | What I was expecting was for the sound to just, well, come alive. |
Alanzo, you of all people on this forum should know that a metal breakout box doesn't ever do this for you. You have to do it yourself using your own knowledge and skill at producing music. Its the only way and it always was the only way. |
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| alanzo |
| quote: | Originally posted by Derivative
Why? For the record I have a Delta 1010 and an RME Fireface 400 and have used an Apogee Rosetta 200 and a EMU 1212M in recent times. I can't tell the difference on the AD or DA conversion stage between any of them. It all sounds the same to me. I'm not saying there is no measurable difference - there probably is but I can't hear it. Even when I slave them to different clocks.
The Rosetta 200 has a nice soft limit feature though which is great if you use it regularly. Otherwise meh. Its a bit expensive. The only reason why I bought the FF400 was because it had preamps (so I could direct line my guitar) and it was portable but I don't use half the features and am considering selling up both the 400 and the 1010 and downsizing to something like a 1212M which is pretty much all I need at this point.
Alanzo, you of all people on this forum should know that a metal breakout box doesn't ever do this for you. You have to do it yourself using your own knowledge and skill at producing music. Its the only way and it always was the only way. |
I'm glad someone else has done comparisons and come to the same result. Yes, I know I'm supposed to make the sound come alive... but I mostly meant that things would be more detailed. I've heard stories of people having dramatic improvements in the stereo imaging of their monitors, being able to tell the difference between reverbs a lot better.. being able to hear things they could not before.. etc. Which all seems to be in the realm of "in your head".
In the least, I won't have to wonder what all the hype is about with expensive DACs.... and what a "great DAC" sounds like.. it pretty much sounds like my "ty DAC". If I were a millionare, I would probably keep it. But for $1,000... i was expecting a dramatic difference. There's a hell of a lot I could do with $1,000. |
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| Getafix |
| You should consider the fact that your monitors are not the best either, so maybe they're the one's that are clouding the difference. |
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| alanzo |
| quote: | Originally posted by Getafix
You should consider the fact that your monitors are not the best either, so maybe they're the one's that are clouding the difference. |
I've considered this. If that's true, the difference remains very minimal and still not worth the $$. |
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| Getafix |
| Yeah that's quite possible. I have Klein +Hummel O 3000's which i'm using with a RME Fireface 400. I also wanted to upgrade to a $1000 DAC but the general advice i got from many professionals was that the differences would be minimal & not worth the $$. So i decided to stick to the FF400 (for now!). |
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